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| ANOTHER JOURNEY BY TIMA |
CHAPTERS 66 - 70 |
PREVIOUSLY...
Todd: So, do you want to skip doing this tonight and just go to sleep?
Tea: No.
Todd: You sure?
Tea: I'm positive. I want you to kiss me.
Todd: Right now?
Tea: Right now.
Todd: If that's what you really want...
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chapter 66:
[Todd and Tea look at each other for a moment, neither making any movement toward the other.
Slowly, Todd leans his upper body toward her. As his face nears hers, Tea closes her eyes, anticipating a kiss.]
Todd: Be right back.
[Todd suddenly jumps off the bed and rushes into the bathroom before Tea barely has a chance to realize his lips have left the room and opens her eyes.]
Tea (calling out to him): Todd?
Todd (his voice garbled): Give me a minute.
[Tea gets off the bed and approaches the open bathroom door.]
Tea: Todd, what happened?
[Tea looks into the bathroom and sees Todd at the sink, a tooth brush in his mouth, his hand frantically moving the brush around inside his mouth.]
Tea: Todd, that wasn't very nice.
Todd: What? You wanted to kiss my onion breath?
Tea: In that moment, yes. I was all set to enjoy your lips and suddenly they were gone.
[Todd finishes brushing his teeth and rinses his toothbrush.]
Todd: I had to bring them with me while I brushed my teeth.
Tea: Next time you move in for a kiss, I expect those lips on mine, understand?
Todd: I'm done now.
Tea: Good.
[Tea walks back into the bedroom. Todd follows her.]
Todd: Hey, Tea? Shouldn't you be taking care of something right now?
Tea: Like what?
Todd: You think I enjoy kissing an onion? Or, a radish? Or, whatever you've been eating?
Tea: Are you saying you won't kiss me unless I meet certain conditions?
Todd: I'll kiss you, Delgado. But, I may not be stopping to brush my teeth in the future if you don't care about what you're putting me through.
Tea: I don't want you to stop. I didn't want you to stop just now.
Todd: I was pretending to be a decent guy.
Tea: You weren't pretending, Todd. It's very sweet that you think about my pleasure.
Todd: Yeah, but you don't think about mine.
Tea (smiling): I already brushed.
Todd: You did?
Tea: After I showered.
Todd: Oh.
Tea: I even flossed.
Todd: Showoff.
[Todd returns to the bed and sits on the edge. Tea does the same, sitting on the opposite side from where Todd sits.]
Todd: So, uh, I guess we should do this, right?
Tea: This isn't torture, Todd.
Todd: If you say so.
[Todd returns to his original position, leaning against the headboard.]
Todd: Come on. Let's get this over with.
Tea: The sweet sentiments you express. It's a good thing I'm sitting down so I won't hurt myself swooning.
[Tea also returns to her earlier place next to Todd.]
Todd: You want me to say something sweet?
Tea: Give it a try.
[Todd turns toward her and places his hand on the side of her face. Tea instantly closes her eyes at the feeling of his touch. Todd smiles, knowing he doesn't have to say a word.]
Todd (whispering): Delgado...
[In his mind, Todd runs through several options of sarcastic things to say. Ultimately, he surprises himself with the words that pop out of his mouth before he can stop them.]
Todd: Delgado...you make me want to stop breathing.
Tea (opening her eyes): What?
Todd: I want the last moment of my life to be like this...with you.
[Todd closes his eyes in utter embarrassment.]
Todd: That was the dumbest thing I've ever said in my life.
[Tea smiles at him as her hand lightly brushes across his cheek.]
Tea: That was sweet, Todd.
Todd: Well, that's what you wanted, right? Now I feel like an idiot.
[Todd removes his hand from her face and turns his body so his back is against the headboard again.]
Tea: Todd...
Todd: Maybe we should just forget this. I'm no good at this stuff.
Tea: Yes, you are. In fact, you're really good at it...amazingly good. Give me your lips and let me prove it.
Todd: Just forget it. Let's get some sleep.
[Todd rolls over onto his side, facing away from her. His arm reaches out and turns off the lamp by the side of the bed. He punches his face into the pillow, feeling like a complete fool.
Tea watches him with the light that is entering the room from the bathroom. She's glad that Todd forgot to turn off the light when he finished brushing his teeth. She wants to see him now. Actually, she wants even more to feel him. First, she knows that she has to give him an out for what he said so he can be comfortable continuing what they had started a few minutes earlier.]
Tea: You don't have to be embarrassed.
Todd: That's what you think.
Tea: You're not the first guy who said something sweet just so he could get a little something.
Todd: Huh?
Tea: Look, I know that you only said that because you wanted to kiss me and maybe you wanted a little more than that tonight and you thought that by saying what you said you'd help put me in the mood. Right?
Todd: Sure. Right. I just wanted to get me some.
Tea: Well, it worked. I'm in the mood.
[Todd rolls back over and faces her again.]
Todd: Really? You don't feel like laughing first?
[Tea slides her body down so that she's lying next to Todd, facing him.]
Tea: I'm not laughing.
Todd: You still want me to kiss you.
Tea: More than anything.
Todd: You really brushed your teeth?
Tea: There's one way to find out.
Todd: So, it's just for information gathering.
Tea: It's research.
Todd: Research is good.
Tea: Research with you is phenomenal.
Todd: Tea?
Tea: Yes?
Todd: Shut up.
[After slowly bringing their faces closer while they spoke, now Todd can't resist any longer and seizes Tea's mouth with his own.
They kiss long and slow...on the lips, near the lips. Tea even manages to brush her lips against the scar on his cheek briefly before his lips descend upon hers again.
Several minutes later...]
Todd (with his lips poised near hers): Are you ready?
Tea: For what?
Todd: The taste test.
Tea: My favorite kind of research.
[Todd brings his lips against hers again. Their lips part. Their tongues engage. Tea moans as her hand pulls on the back of his head, wanting him closer.
Todd leans his body more into hers as his hand goes to her waist and pulls her body more tightly against his.
They both want more contact. They both need to feel more connected to each other.
Tea moves her hand to the back of his bare neck, needing to touch his skin.
Todd's hand moves down her body and stops when he feels her bare thigh.
A moment later, they take a moment to rest their lips and catch their breaths. They both are excruciatingly aware of their current position.]
Todd: I guess this isn't going to work.
Tea: It's working really well for me.
Todd: We need to sit when we're doing this. It's too dangerous like this.
Tea: I wouldn't mind moving some, Todd, but I don't want to sit.
Todd: What do you want?
[Tea cautiously raises her leg and places it over him. His hand on her thigh moves further in between her legs.]
Todd (having an even harder time catching his breath): Uh, Tea...
Tea: I'm comfortable. How do you feel?
Todd: Oh, hell...
Tea (smiling): Should I take that as a positive or a negative response?
[Todd doesn't respond verbally but instead pulls gently on her leg, bringing it further around his body before repositioning his hand on her back. Tea's hand also goes to his back. They continue their oral exploration as they each rub the other person's back through their shirts.]
chapter 67:
[Minutes later...
Or, maybe it's hours. Neither is aware of how long they've been pressed against each other, kissing.
From the moans Tea has been emitting, Todd knows that she's enjoying what they're doing.
Unless...she's faking it.
After allowing his paranoia to unleash for a moment, Todd pulls it back in. If she were faking it, she wouldn't be so over the top with it. He decides that it has to be real.
Tea also knows that Todd is enjoying himself. After all, if he weren't, he would have put an end to it by now. And, the way his tongue moves in her mouth...
Tea moans again, thinking about what she's doing and the unbelievable fact that it's with Todd. His tongue in her mouth...his body pressed tightly against hers...
Tea moans even louder as she feels herself nearing a climax. No one but Todd has ever brought her this close to an orgasm while they both still had all of their clothing on. His hand isn't even exploring her. His body feels great against hers but she knows that it's his mouth that has her this turned on...his tongue...oh, his tongue.
Tea moans again, followed by a whimper.
Todd pulls his mouth away from hers, concerned that she needs more air.]
Todd: Are you okay?
[Tea can't respond. She just looks at him with an odd expression on her face as she whimpers again.]
Todd: What's wrong with you?
Tea: I want...I want...
[Tea can't speak, especially not the words that she wants to say. She wants to feel Todd inside of her so much in this moment. She knows that it's out of the question until she can reassure him that she is definitely not pregnant. Even then, he may still want to keep a distance from her.
When she's honest with herself, she knows that she needs some distance, too. She needs to feel confidant that he won't leave her again before she opens her heart completely to him. It's almost impossible for her to hold back, though.
Her mind wants to wait to be with him fully until it feels safe. Her body, though, doesn't give a damn about anything else. It wants and needs him right now. It wants satisfaction...insertion...completion.
It isn't just any body that she needs right now. This isn't like any time in the past when she settled for someone she didn't want just so she'd have someone...anyone...next to her...holding her.
This is a need that is only for Todd. This is a need, not just for him to be physically with her...inside her, but a need for him to love her.
If he told her that he loved her in this moment, those words would probably send her over the top of the orgasm her body is on the verge of right now. Those words spoken from those lips would be that powerful for her.
As Tea continues to run her thoughts and feelings in her mind, Todd watches her, confused about what's wrong with her.
He thought she was enjoying what they were doing but now she has a sad look on her face that causes him a great deal of concern.
Slowly, his hand reaches out and touches her face, wiping at a tear that is falling down her cheek.]
Todd (speaking softly): Delgado, what is it?
[Tea is overwhelmed. She loves him. She wants him to love her. Suddenly, all she can feel, though, is sadness...loneliness...emptiness. She doesn't know if it's her fear that Todd doesn't love her, her concern that he'll leave her, all of the pain and loss from her past or something else inside her that she hasn't uncovered yet. She just knows that it hurts more than it ever has before.
Without thinking, without worrying about the possible rejection, Tea lowers her head toward Todd's chest.
Todd lies there...taking it. Not certain how to handle Tea in this moment. He has no idea what's wrong with her or what he could have done to cause her sadness and tears. He just knows that she's hurting and that it has to stop.]
Todd: Delgado?
[Tea doesn't respond.]
Todd: Did I hurt you? Do I have sharp teeth or something? Did you cut your tongue?
[Tea continues to quietly lie next to him with her head on his chest.]
Todd: Come on. You have to tell me. You can't just lay on me like this all night.
Tea: I want to.
[Tea's voice sounds so sad and weak which concerns Todd even more about what suddenly changed.]
Todd: Delgado...
Tea: Todd, just let me fall asleep like this, okay? Just this one time. After I'm asleep you can roll me off so you can sleep.
Todd: What's this all about?
Tea: I need this.
Todd: Why? What the hell happened?
Tea: Do you really want to talk about this?
Todd: Of course, I want to talk about it.
Tea: It involves emotions - emotions that I feel for you.
Todd: Of course, I don't want to talk about this.
Tea: That's what I thought.
Todd: As much as you know I enjoy these kinds of conversations with you, Delgado, we have to get up early so we need to get some sleep.
Tea: I'll fall asleep faster this way.
Todd: Will you?
Tea: I think so.
Todd: I'm not too lumpy?
Tea: You're perfect.
Todd: If the next thing you say ends up being anything mushy...
Tea: What would you do, Todd? What would you do if I told you how I feel?
Todd: I wouldn't believe you.
Tea: Why not?
Todd: I don't believe anyone. I don't trust anyone. People say what they think they need to in the moment. It doesn't mean anything. And, it doesn't matter even if they do mean it because something will always happen to change those feelings anyway.
Tea: What if it didn't have to be that way? What if this time we could both have what we want?
Todd: I want not to have this conversation. Can I have that?
Tea: If you let me fall asleep like this, I'll stop talking.
Todd: I don't know.
[Tea gives up and rolls over onto her side, facing away from him, tears instantly pouring from her eyes.]
chapter 68:
[Todd knows that Tea is hurting even more now than she was a few minutes ago.
He repositions himself onto his back and stretches his arm across the bed above Tea's head.]
Todd: Okay. Ready.
[Tea doesn't move.]
Todd: Come on, Tea. I'm not gonna pretend to be caring and concerned like this for too long. Your chance to drool on me is quickly slipping away.
Tea: Forget about it, Todd. Just go to sleep.
Todd: I don't understand you, Delgado. You beg to sleep on me and when I give you the chance you're no longer interested. You're the most impossible person to figure out.
Tea: What about you?
Todd: What about me? I'm easy.
Tea: Since when?
Todd: You're the one who's being difficult here. If you keep irritating me, we won't be doing what I was planning tomorrow night.
[Several moments pass silently. Tea wipes at her tears. Todd tries desperately to keep his arm where it is and to continue offering Tea the use of his body for the night...for sleeping purposes, of course.
Moments later, Tea again speaks, her voice still displaying her sadness.]
Tea: What were you planning?
Todd: Nothing you're interested in, apparently.
Tea: More than tonight?
Todd: Tonight was supposed to be more than tonight but you blew it.
Tea: Was it really? I thought maybe we had gone further than you had planned.
Todd: Is that why you're putting me through this?
Tea: No.
Todd: Why?
Tea: I don't know. I'm just as confused as you are, I think.
Todd: It did go kind of far. I wasn't expecting you to jump me like you did.
Tea (smiling for the first time in several minutes): I did not jump you, Todd. I merely placed my leg in a better position.
Todd: Better for what?
Tea: Consider it a full body embrace.
Todd: What is with you and your obsessive need to embrace me all the time?
Tea: I'm making up for all of the embracing I missed out on in the past.
Todd: With me? Or, when you were a kid?
[There's a silent pause for a moment as Tea considers Todd's questions. Before answering him, she rolls over and faces him.]
Tea: Both, I suppose. I was thinking more of our marriages, though. When we were first married, it was out of the question. And then things started to change. You actually did hug me a couple of times but it never lasted for long.
Todd (his voice lowering): That wasn't always my fault, you know?
Tea: I think that most of the times that I was the one to pull away first, I tried to convince myself it was to keep you from becoming too uncomfortable. That probably was part of it. But, a lot of it was because of me.
Todd: What about you?
Tea: I don't know exactly. I know part of it was that I didn't want you to pull away. If I did it first then I wouldn't have to go through the feeling of you pulling away from me.
Todd: But you didn't mind putting me through that feeling?
Tea: Did it hurt you?
Todd: You know what hurts the most?
Tea: What?
Todd: My arm. Either hurry up and do this or the offer is being pulled from the table and my arm is being pulled back to my side of the bed.
Tea: You really want me to sleep in your arms tonight?
Todd: It wasn't part of the plan but I'm flexible.
Tea: Todd, you're lucky I feel so lousy. If I didn't, you'd be on the receiving end of some major flirting for referring to yourself as flexible.
Todd: So, this is my lucky night then, huh? You're too bummed to flirt. I guess that means I'll be safe. You won't be trying to jump me while I'm asleep.
Tea: I wouldn't do that to you, Todd. Your trust is important to me.
Todd: Do you trust me?
Tea: Yes.
Todd: Then why are you all the way over there?
Tea: You're sure about this?
Todd: I can take it.
Tea: Once I'm back in your arms, I won't want to leave.
Todd: Well, you're gonna have to. We may do everything else together but I drawn the line at sharing going to the john.
[Tea laughs slightly and moves back into Todd's personal space and cautiously places her head on Todd's outstretched arm. Her hand rests lightly on his stomach.]
Tea: Is this okay?
Todd: It's fine.
Tea: You're sure?
Todd: I'm managing.
Tea: If this is too much for you...
Todd: It is but it doesn't matter.
Tea: It matters to me. We don't have to do this. We could wait and try it again in a few days if it's too soon.
Todd: That's so stupid.
Tea: What is?
Todd: Any of this being too soon. We've known each other for years now. We've been married a couple of times. For any other multi-married couple this wouldn't be a new thing.
Tea: I guess we're not like any other couple. We're unique.
Todd: Unique -- that sounds better than odd.
Tea: I don't think we're odd.
Todd: You're nuts.
Tea: I don't think we're nuts either.
Todd: I didn't say we were nuts. I said you were nuts.
Tea: Now that I think about it, I am nuts.
Todd: You are?
Tea: I'm nuts about you.
Todd (cringing): Aw, come on. Did you have to go there?
Tea: Don't give me the opening if you don't want me to slip in the adoration.
Todd: If you're up for it, you could slip something else in on me so I won't have to hear that kind of stuff coming out of your mouth anymore tonight.
Tea: I don't know. It might happen again.
Todd: What? I still don't know what happened.
Tea: Neither do I. It just started to hurt.
Todd: Physically?
Tea: No. It wasn't anything you did. It's something inside of me. It hurt and I couldn't stop it. It was just too much.
Todd: Okay. No more kissing for you.
Tea: I didn't say that. I certainly don't want that.
Todd: Well, I don't feel like turning this into a water bed.
Tea: I promise I'll try not to cry anymore tonight.
Todd: You could just do the sleep thing.
Tea: Do you watch me sleep?
Todd: Does it matter?
Tea: No.
Todd: You haven't been watching me, have you?
Tea: A little.
Todd: Now I'll never fall asleep again.
Tea: It's not a bad thing.
Todd: I probably look really stupid, right?
Tea: No.
Todd: That's all you're going to say about it?
Tea: Do you really want to know what you look like? Do you want to know what I think about while I watch you? Do you want to know how appealing...
Todd (interrupting): Okay, cut it out. Go to sleep.
Tea: Someday I'm going to tell you everything, Todd. Someday you won't be able to stop me.
Todd: Just wait until I'm so old that I can't hear anything anymore.
Tea: So, you think we'll be together when we're old?
[Todd pulls his arm out from under Tea and rolls over to distance himself from their conversation.]
Tea: Wait. Where are you going? You promised me I could sleep on you, remember?
Todd: I'm not in the mood now.
Tea: I promise I won't say anymore. We'll go back to kissing so I won't be able to talk anymore, okay?
Todd: What about the waterworks?
Tea: No more tears, I promise. Let's just keep it at kissing for the rest of the night, okay?
[Todd rolls back over and faces Tea again.]
Todd: You're the one who was pressing yourself against me earlier.
Tea: I felt you pressing against me, too.
Todd: Forget it. This isn't going to work.
[Todd gets out of bed.]
Tea: I didn't mean anything by that, I swear. Come back to bed.
chapter 69:
Todd: If we're going to do this. It won't be in that bed. It's too dangerous.
Tea: I don't feel like going down to the car.
Todd: We're not doing that either. Come on. Get out of bed. Unless, you changed your mind again. I never know with you.
[Tea stands up and watches as Todd pulls the bedspread off the bed and tosses it on the floor.]
Tea: I haven't changed my mind. I still want you to kiss me. I still want to feel your tongue against mine. I still want to feel your hand in my hair. I still want...
Todd (interrupting): Could we not talk about this? It's bad enough I'm doing it.
Tea (sarcastically): Oh, the way you turn me on with your words.
[Todd grabs the two pillows from the bed and also tosses them on the floor, on top of the bedspread.]
Todd: Is that what you want?
Tea: What?
Todd: What you said?
Tea: What did I say?
Todd: You know what you said.
Tea: I don't know what you're referring to, though.
Todd: Never mind. Are we doing this, or not?
Tea: We're doing it. (referring to the heap of bedding on the floor) Are we doing it here?
Todd: You have a better idea?
Tea: I was comfortable on the bed.
Todd: You can't control yourself when we're lying down so we're going back to sitting up when we do this.
Tea: You have no idea how much control and restraint I've displayed with you so far.
[Tea sits on top of the bedspread and leans her back against the bed. She places one of the pillows behind her back so she's more comfortable.]
Tea (looking up at Todd): Get your tongue down here.
Todd: You sure you don't want to sleep instead?
Tea: I want to spend all night kissing you.
[Todd sits down next to her.]
Todd: Your lips might get chapped.
Tea: If that happens, I'll just reach into your pocket and borrow your lip balm.
Todd: I can't believe how much talk I have to suffer through just to get a kiss out of you.
Tea: No more talk, Todd.
Todd: I'll believe that when I don't hear it.
[To stop herself from talking, Tea places her hand behind Todd's head and pulls him into a kiss.
For several minutes they kiss and explore with their tongues. Tea tries to keep her mind from thinking about anything deeper than how far Todd's tongue is exploring into her mouth as a way to keep the sadness inside her from coming out again and spoiling what she is immensely enjoying.
Todd is also enjoying what they're doing, although, he has a hard time figuring out what to do with his hand. Initially, he places it on Tea's side but slowly it moves lower. It slides all the way down her body until it's on her bare thigh like it was earlier. Without being aware of it, he pulls on her leg, trying to bring her closer to him.
Soon, Tea is fully on her side, pressed heavily against Todd, her leg over his legs.
A few minutes later, they take a break from kissing as they both breathe heavily, trying to catch their breaths.]
Todd (realizing the position Tea's in): You just couldn't resist jumping me again, huh?
Tea: Me? It wasn't my hand on my thigh, pulling me toward you.
Todd: You think I was doing that?
[Tea looks down at his hand still on her bare thigh. Todd follows her eyes and realizes where his hand is.]
Todd: That's circumstantial evidence.
Tea: I think it's proof of your guilt, Mr. Manning.
Todd (changing the subject): So, uh, you want to stop and do the sleep thing now?
Tea: No.
[Todd moves his hand off of her thigh and brings it to her face. He brushes his finger across her lips.]
Todd: What about your lips?
Tea: They miss yours.
Todd: They do, do they?
Tea: Very much. They want them back.
Todd: You sure you're not too tired?
Tea: I'll sleep in the car tomorrow while you're driving. What about you?
Todd: I'll sleep then, too.
Tea: Todd...
Todd: I'm kidding, Delgado. I wouldn't do that.
[Todd slowly moves the back of his hand across Tea's cheek.]
Todd (his voice soft and sexy): I wouldn't risk you like that.
[Tea takes hold of his hand and kisses it softly before placing it back on her thigh. As she does, Todd leans forward and kisses her cheek.]
Todd (still whispering): You're so warm and soft, Tea. Why do you have to be like this? Why can't you be repulsive? You'd be so much easier to stay away from?
Tea: I don't want you to stay away.
[Tea feels herself entering that painful place inside herself again. She doesn't want to burden Todd with her pain anymore.]
Tea: Todd, we need to go back to kissing or I'll start crying again.
Todd: At least your warning me now. Those ambush tearfests aren't easy on me, you know.
[When Todd's mouth comes into contact with hers again, his lips are soft and gentle against hers, his tender feelings for her evident.
As they kiss, his hand moves slowly up her thigh. Tea shakes slightly realizing how close his hand is to an intimate part of her body. More than anything right now, she wants his hand to continue it's journey, although, she's not certain if she's truly ready to deal the outcome yet.
Ultimately, Todd makes the final decision about how far they'll go this night.
His hand journeys up and further between her legs until he reaches a sensitive area of her upper thigh. He knows it's sensitive by the way Tea trembles and moans as he caresses her there. He doesn't proceed further, though, not wanting to go too far and have Tea bursting into tears on him again.
Todd surprises himself with how much he enjoys knowing that he's turning her on with the way he's touching her skin. He also knows that she enjoys kissing him and having his tongue in her mouth. She's told him enough times but the physical way she reacts tells him so much more than her words could. He can't stop himself from wondering if she really means what she says when she compliments him but he is certain that the way her mouth responds to his isn't something that she's pretending.
She actually likes kissing him. She likes her body being pressed close to his. She likes the way his fingers are caressing her skin. She likes being with him. He turns her on, as amazing as that is for him to realize...he turns her on.
Tea is startled when Todd suddenly pulls his lips away from her. She lightly pulls on his head, wanting him back, not wanting to give up his lips...his mouth...his tongue. When his hand leaves her thigh she's ready to scream from the frustration.
As she looks into his eyes, though, she melts. He's looking at her so intensely...so hungrily. He wants her, too. She can see it clearly on his face. He wants her...Todd Manning wants her.
Todd continues to stare at her intently as his hand that was on her thigh moves up to her face and his fingers slowly caress her skin. She's so beautiful...too beautiful.
His fingers continue to glide over her skin...down her neck...and then...further down...
Tea stops breathing momentarily...anticipating...fearing...what will come next and what her reaction will be. She wants him to touch her but she's worried that if they go too far, her emotions will become overwhelmed again. She doesn't stop him, though. The thought doesn't even occur to her. If Todd Manning wants to touch her breasts, she certainly isn't going to stop him. They'll both just have to deal with whatever way her body and mind react to the stimulation.
Todd's fingers continue to lightly explore her flesh, lingering, as they have been for several seconds, below her neck but above her breasts.
As Todd's fingers, under the collar of her shirt, pull down on the garment slightly and his face moves closer, Tea's body shakes more noticeably from the anticipation.]
chapter 70
[Todd notices as Tea's trembling increases. As he slowly moves forward, he knows that she's anticipating his lips on the flesh of her upper chest. He has no intention of disappointing her.
His fingers in the collar of her shirt keep the cloth out of the way as his lips make delectable contact with her skin. His kiss is lingering...his lips not wanting to leave her flesh. Too soon, though, his lips do end the contact and his face rises and pulls back from her again. When he looks back at her face, he finds her eyes searching his, needing to understand why he kissed her there...and perhaps more importantly, why he stopped.
Todd's fingers return to caressing her flesh where his lips had been only seconds earlier.]
Todd (whispering): Tomorrow.
Tea (desire clear in her voice): Now.
[Todd's caressing fingers move from her upper chest to her neck.]
Todd: Tomorrow.
Tea: Todd...
Todd: Tea, tomorrow. I promise.
[When Tea speaks again, her voice is noticeably different and her words come out faster than normal. Todd smiles inwardly, enjoying how much of an effect he has on her.]
Tea: That's a legally binding agreement. I'm holding you to your promise. During breakfast, right?
Todd: Tomorrow night, Delgado...after we go to that tourist trap you want to see so much.
Tea: Let's skip that. Let's stay here. Let's keep doing this...all night...all day tomorrow...all night tomorrow...
Todd: You're trembling.
Tea: I want this, Todd. I want you.
[Todd looks down for a moment, the emotional impact of Tea's desire for him affecting him more than he was prepared for.
Tea notices his reaction and thinks that he doubts her feelings for him. She brings her hand to his cheek. He looks up at her again.]
Tea: I want you, Todd.
Todd: I don't get it. Earlier you were bawling because it was too much, right?
Tea: It was. It still is.
Todd: Then...why?
Tea: I can't help it. I'm scared. I'm nervous. I'm petrified.
Todd: Of me?
Tea: No. Of wanting you this much...of needing you this much. I didn't plan it. When I first married you, I thought it would be perfect...I wouldn't have to feel anything.
Todd: But you do?
Tea: Yes. Too much. That's why I was crying earlier. It's just so much and it's more painful than I've ever known it to be.
Todd: I still don't get it. If it hurts, why do you want this? Why aren't you running? You should be pushing me away not asking me to...
Tea: I want both, Todd. I want to be closer to you and I want to distance myself.
Todd: You should go with your second choice.
Tea: It's not a choice, Todd. It's not an option. I've been without you. I never want to feel that way again. Being with you, though... I don't know how to do it. I've never done this before. You have to teach me.
Todd (laughing slightly): Me? You want me to teach you? I'm the worst at this. You should know that by now.
Tea: You could teach me how to...
Todd (quickly interrupting): Don't say it. Why do I have to keep reminding you? You can't say that.
Tea: Why not? If you already know it, why can't I say it?
Todd: It's a four letter word. Those are never good.
Tea: Fine. I'll use bigger words.
Todd: Don't. I'm here, okay? That has to be enough for now. Just don't say any of that stuff right now. You don't see me blathering on, do you?
Tea: I wouldn't mind if you did. It might be nice to hear your words, Todd.
Todd: You wouldn't be able to handle it.
Tea: Maybe not right now but someday, Todd, I want to hear your words. I want you to tell me...even if it's when we're saying good-bye.
Todd: Why would you want to hear it then? Wouldn't it just make you feel lousy?
Tea: I'll feel lousy anyway when this does end. I want to know. No more wondering...no more reading between the lines of what you said or comparing the conflicting words trying to figure out which emotion you really felt for me. When it ends this time, I want you to tell me. I want you to use all of the words and be honest with me. I promise, I'll be honest with you.
Todd: I don't want it.
Tea: Sure, you do.
Todd: No, I don't. It's lousy enough without the words.
Tea: But if we both already know that the feelings are there...
Todd: Let's just stop this, okay?
Tea: You can't stop the feelings, Todd. I think we've both proven that. We were apart for so long and the feelings didn't change.
Todd: Maybe they did.
Tea: My feelings for you only intensified. My need for you only grew.
[Tears fill Tea's eyes. Todd watches them as they begin their journey down her cheeks.]
Todd: It's a good thing we're not in Llanview anymore.
Tea (wiping at her tears): Why?
Todd: Someone would hear you bawling and I'd get tossed in jail for hurting you.
Tea: I wouldn't let that happen. Never again. I'm too selfish.
Todd: Is that the reason?
Tea: I want you with me...every second.
Todd: If you're lobbying for us to go to the john together again, forget it.
[Tea laughs. Her tears keep coming out of her eyes, despite her attempts to stop it. Todd starts to stand up. Tea stops him.]
Tea: Don't go. I'm sorry, I'll stop crying, I promise.
Todd: I was going to get something so you could blow your nose. I don't want you ruining this shirt. I like it too much.
Tea: You could take it off so you don't have to worry about it.
Todd: Then I'd have other stuff to worry about. I'll be right back.
[Tea continues frantically wiping the tears from her eyes but they keep coming. When Todd returns from the bathroom a moment later he has a wad of toilet paper in his hand. He hands the tissue to her as he sits down next to her again. She dabs at her eyes trying to stop the flow of tears.]
Todd: Don't you have a valve inside you for turning that stuff off?
Tea: I think it's broken.
Todd: Well, fix it. I don't want to have to wear a wet suit every time I kiss you.
Tea: Don't your emotions ever become too overwhelming for you?
Todd: No.
Tea: I know that's not true.
Todd: Believe what you want.
Tea: I will because I know for a fact that it has happened in the past. I've seen it.
Todd: You have to have emotions first before they can overwhelm you.
Tea: Now you're going to try to tell me that you don't have emotions? That you don't feel anything?
Todd: That's the truth.
Tea: What about earlier? What about the way you looked at me? What about the way you touched me? There was no emotion in that at all?
Todd: Look, you've got a nice body and, despite what everyone thinks, I am a normal man...at least when it comes to that so...
[Todd stops talking and looks away. He doesn't know why he needs to distance himself from what they were doing and how much he enjoyed it...how much he wanted and needed her in that moment and still does. He knows that if he continues speaking he could hurt Tea. He's not completely sure that she'd believe him anyway.
Tea knows what he's doing. She can sense him shutting down. When it's too much for her, she cries. When it's too much for him, he makes a joke of it or tries to push her away. This time, he stopped. That must mean something. She wants to reward him for not following through on his initial instinct.]
Tea: I'm getting tired. Maybe we should try to sleep.
Todd: Okay.
[Tea cautiously moves closer to him and rests her head on his shoulder. She knows that he may not be able to spend the night like this but she wants to try and she wants him to know that it's what she wants. If it's too much for him, she'll accept it and just try again the next night.]
Todd: What do you think you're doing?
Tea: You said I could sleep on you, remember?
Todd: That was before.
Tea: I still want this, Todd. Remember when I told you that I want to experience this before our time comes to an end?
Todd: Yeah, I guess. It has to be tonight?
Tea: If it's okay with you.
Todd: You're not going to jump me again, are you?
Tea: I'll keep my legs to myself, I promise.
[Tea's hand lands lightly on his stomach as she snuggles closer to him. It doesn't take her long to fall asleep. As soon as he knows that she's asleep, his hand gently takes hold of hers. He leans his head against hers and closes his eyes. He eventually falls asleep.]
to be continued...
